Taiwan residents pick ‘confusion’ as word of the year

The Chinese character 茫, which means confusion, has been chosen as the word of the year by residents in the southeast China's island region of Taiwan, reflecting their apparent anxiety about the future.

The results of the annual ballot were released Thursday by CTBC Foundation for Arts and Culture and the United Daily News. 

Confusion took 12,000 votes out of more than 90,000 from among 52 candidates.

It was followed by 劳, meaning labor, and 忧, which translates to worry.

Feng Chi-tai, the chairman of the CTBC Foundation, said the word of the year selection suggests that Taiwan residents may feel confused about the future.

It was proposed by Peng Chi-ming, chief executive officer of the Taiwan-based Weather Risk Management Service platform, taking into consideration global climate changes as well as aggravating extreme weather.

Hsiao Heng-chian, chief editor of the United Daily News, said that revision of work rules as well as some major events including a massive power blackout in August that left millions without electricity at the height of summer, may also have led to the choice, Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to a survey recently unveiled by Taiwan’s directorate-general of budget, accounting and statistics, 34 percent of the workforce are short of the standard starting salary of 30,000 new Taiwan dollars (999 US dollars) per month.

In recent months, the island has also witnessed public protests from workers over concerns about longer working hours as part of controversial labor law reform enforced by the Democratic Progress Party (DPP).

Taiwan initiated the vote for the annual character in 2008. 苦, meaning bitterness, was chosen last year, reflecting the feelings of people who had been affected by a flurry of natural disasters, including storms and earthquakes.